Yesterday if you popped on over to Design Wonderland you’d see what was on my list of summer essentials. 4 out of the 5 products I featured I have yet to discuss on this blog. Don’t worry, I’m planning on filling you in on all the details but I had to give the Design Wonderland folks some of what I was loving this summer.

I get asked a lot about my skincare routine and I take it as a compliment that people think I have nice skin. I told you guys here on the blog when I turned 30, skin care was a top priority for me. I want my skin to still be glowing and healthy looking when I’m in my 70s! I’m always looking for a great cleanser too, the perfect item that will cleanse without stripping and be gentle yet still remove my makeup.

When I was at the Makeup Show in NY, Nikkia of Silver Lips Beauty told me I HAD to give the Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel a try. I love Nikkia because she tells you what works and what doesn’t work and she could only rave about Mario Badescu. She was on point about this cleanser too.

I have combination skin, it can be a bit oily in my T zone and sometimes a bit drier on my cheeks so I find it hard to find the perfect cleanser to balance it all out. The Enzyme Cleanser leaves my skin feeling fresh and clean without feeling dry or stripped of all moisture. I apply it with my facial brush when I’m in the shower so that I get a really deep clean or I’ll apply it to my wet face with my hands and then rinse with a wash cloth. It has a very faint scent to it, nothing overpowering or to harsh and it definitely removes all of the makeup I wear on a daily basis. My skin looks hydrated before I even apply my moisturizer or my SPF.

When it comes to skincare, I’m willing to spend more than the drugstore prices for something to keep my skin looking healthy. An 8 ounce bottle is $12 and a 16 oz bottle is $20, if you’re not sure about the facial wash I’d suggest that you go with the smaller bottle first. Next on my list to try is their Corrective Complex Emulstion and the Complex Moisturizer with Vitamin E. I think with just a single bottle of face wash, Mario Badescu has made me a huge fan.

Have you tried Mario Badescu before? What’s your skincare routine like?

I am always thankful for the compliments I get on my complexion. I work hard at trying to keep my skin clear and looking fresh. I’ve been asked a lot in the recent weeks what I do in regards to skin care for summer and what type of SPF I use, so I thought I’d share what I use on a daily basis.

I live for Coppertone Sensitive Skin Faces sunscreen all year round. I don’t just slather on the sunscreen in the summer, it’s an everyday thing for me. I find that the Coppertone Faces is fairly sheer (you know how sometimes sunscreen can give you that blue tint, you don’t want that), blends in nicely and doesn’t break me out. It’s an SPF 50 and I usually apply it after I’ve applied a light oil free facial moisturizer before. If I know I’m going to play golf or be outdoors later in the day, I toss it in my bag and reapply in the afternoon. I’m trying to keep my complexion bright and healthy and sunscreen is definitely a big part of that for me on a daily basis.

The second step in my beauty routine (and sometimes last step) is applying L’Oreal’s Studio Secrets No. 1 Magic Perfecting Base, I’ve found that especially in the summer it helps to control my shine without leaving me feeling dried out. I test out and switch between a lot of makeup primers but I’ve found that I always go back to this base, it really leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth and I’m not greasy and shiny at the end of the day. I like to buy 2 jars of it when it’s on sale at Walgreens or CVS (buy 1 get 1 half off) because it’s definitely a staple that I keep in my beauty stash. It leaves my skin so flawless that sometimes I only apply the base and don’t worry about any other makeup. It’s that good, seriously.

My other secret? I try to drink a lot of water. When all else seems to fail, flushing my system with water and staying hydrated seems to the do the trick.

Those are my top 3 things that I use everyday to help keep my complexion looking it’s best – what are your summer beauty secrets?

Sometimes afer all the products I’ve tried, after everything I’ve fallen in love with, I find myself going back to an old standard. As the spring weather ushered itself in my skin seemed to just reject all lotion and moisture and by noon I was dry and itchy all over again. What’s a girl to do? I popped on over to Lush this weekend while in NYC and grabbed a King of Skin Body Butter Bar to help sooth my skin like nothing else I’ve ever tried.

If you’re an Art of Accessories reader who has been with me since the beginning you will remember that the Lush Buffy Body Butter Bar was the first Friday’s Fabulous post I ever wrote.

I forget about Body Butter bars alot because the closest Lush shop to me is in Georgetown and it’s a pain to find parking, so I never go. I know I could order them online but part of what I love the most about Lush is going in store for that fragrant smell and to test out other products while I’m in the store. So when I remembered there was a Lush around the corner from where I was in NYC and I had a little time to kill I popped on over. And this morning when I added this to my shower routine, my skin thanked me.

It has been bitterly cold this year and the number one thing I keep hearing about on Twitter and from friends is how chapped and irritated their skin is this time of year. I understand and I have been there, but I know how to help get your skin back to a heathy moisturized state.

1. Stop being lazy about your skin care routine. It’s dark when you get up, it’s cold and you crawl back into bed for just a few more minutes of sleep (which turns into 20 more minutes). Of course you have to cut down your morning routine so why lotion your legs if no one is going to see them? Because you’ll suffer in the long run for it! I’m the queen of having a lotion “skip day” only to get undressed at the end of the day and have my skin itchy, tight and look like someone blew powdered sugar all over my body. Not good. Take the time to moisturize in the morning and your skin won’t be so thirsty in the evening.
2. Get a warm mist humidifier. I own the Vicks Warm Mist Humidifier and it is probably one of the best things to have in your bedroom when it’s cold outside. The warm mist not only helps to keep my skin moisture rich but it also helps to soothe dry sinuses. The nighttime snoring has been reduced considerably in my house due to our warm mist humidifier AND it helps keep your room at a nice even temperature throughout the night.
3. After you shower, seal in the moisture. The first thing I do after I shower is pat myself dry and then slather on the Johnson’s Baby Oil Gel. It helps hydrate my body and I don’t wake up itchy or dry. I prefer the baby oil gel to the oil because it’s less messy but there are all kinds of body oils on the market to help you seal in the moisture. I recommend baby oil gel because it’s probably the least expensive and most effective.



4. Pay special attention to your hands and cuticles. I had neglected to do this and my hands started to peel (I was like Natalie Portman in Black Swan – gross). My number 1 way to combat or heal damage is with a dedicated daily therapy of Burt’s Bees Cuticle Cream and Burt’s Bees Hand Salve. I keep both tins in my purse at all times and will slather on an extra dose if I know I’m going to be outside for a bit and wearing gloves. The Hand Salve will heal even the most severely chapped hands within a week of dedicated use. It is definitely a top must have on my winter hand cream list.
5. Upgrade to a better lotion. I guess we don’t think about switching out lotions but instead of the liquid, go for a creamier version of your favorite lotion. Sometimes your skin needs more TLC when the temperatures get so low. A really awesome lightweight cream is Neutrogena Deep Moisture, it’s a luxurious treat to your morning routine.
6. EXFOLIATE! Slough off that dead skin throughout the winter. I try to exfoliate once a week in order to keep my skin soft instead of flaky. My all time favorite scrub that I go back to over and over again in different scents is 100% Pure Body Scrub. It’s a delicious treat for your shower and your skin.

These are my 6 tips for keeping your skin glowing even in the frigid temps, but I’d love to hear what your tips are too. How do you keep your skin baby soft in the winter?

You may think I’m a bit off the rocker for this one, but lately I’ve been obsessed with lotion and anti-bacterial gels. I don’t do flu shots (sorry, DWJ + needles = pure pandemonium) but I try to get my vitamins, veggies and lots of rest during this season. Since I’m not a flu shot person, I wash my hands frequently (which requires lotion afterwards because ashy hands are not an accessory I want) and the occasional pump of anti-bacterial gel at my desk.

When I popped into Bath & Body Works the other day I was pleasantly surprised when I found the HandiBac anti-bacterial hand lotion AND they’re 2 for $5. YAY! I’m a fan of Twisted Peppermint (love this holiday edition scent and love it even more in the bath gel) but I also have Midnight Pomegranate in my purse too. It smells divine.

Now I can get my moisturizer on and a little anti-bacterial action at the same time. I love it when a product does everything I need at once. And I’m considering a flu shot this year. I work in a huge building so I’m terrified there will be germs all around!

Have a great weekend everyone. I will be posting next week and working on the Gift Guide. Oh and I’ve got a good Black Friday deal for you too!

xoxo,
dwj